Toothbrush



Jan. 8, 1929.

c. J. FUNK TOOTHBRUSH Filed Jan. 31, 1925 Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

- cHAnLEs J. FUNK,,OF cHfcAeo, rumors,.AssIGnoB,nrmnsnnassien annrsg 'ro rnnrnrna 00., or WILMINGTON, DELAVJABE, a .conronarron OF DELAWARE.

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AppIication filed January 31, 1925, SerialNo. 5,929.

My invention relates to improvements in a toothbrush of the type wherein the brush head is made separable from the handle or holding member therefor whereby uponthe brush head wearing down so that it is no longer effective or upon its becoming soiled, it may be discarded and a new one substituted.

One object of my present invention is to provide a practical toothbrush of the type mentioned and to improvegenerally the con struction thereof to the end that the partsv may be manufactured expeditiously and at low cost and the holding member for the brush manufactured entirely, if desired, from a moldable material such as celluloid, pyralin or the like.

I Another object of my invention is the provision of a toothbrush wherein the head is so constructed that its edges will take a frictional grip upon the walls of the socket in the holding member, when the head is pressed thereinto, which will be ample to hold the head securely when handled or in use.

The invention consists in the novel arrangements and constructions to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out. the above-stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the following description of certain preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- F igQ 1 is aperspective view of a toothbrush embodying certain principles of my invention, a portion of the handle. being broken off;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View, on an enlarged scale, showing the construction of the brush receiving socket,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the brush head; j

Fig. 4: is a plan view of the blank from which the band member surrounding the brush head is formed;

Fig. Sis a perspective view and Fig. 6 is a plan view, also on an enlarged scale, illustrating a modified arrangement and construction;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the heads employed in the modified arrangement 5. and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

Referring first toFigs. 1 to 4 of the draw ings, the brush holding member 10 is holding member.

other suitable material. The brush holding member '10 atits bottom side is preferably formed with an inwardly projecting perimetrical shoulder to form a seat for'the head of the brush. The shoulder 15 also aids in rigidifying and strengtheningthe brushv A. member 16 of some suitable resilient material, for example, phosphor bronze, is adapted to be placed over the head 13 with its marginal portions turned up around the edge portions-thereof. Theblank from which themember16 isformed'is shown in plan in Fig. 4. The central portion 17of said blank is disposedfiat against the back face of the head. It will 'benoted that the margins of the blank are slitted or cut out at various places so as to provide the alternately arranged holding portions 18 and the fingers '19. The holding portions 18 areturned up snugly against the edge'portions of the head,

the lips 18 thereof being turned inwardly over the face of-the head to secure the member 16 firmly thereto. As clearlyjshown in Fig. 3, the fingers 19 are turned-up and arenor- 'mally disposed at an angle withirespect to the edge portions of the head, the fingers being arranged so that normally the upperends 1 thereof are spaced considerably from the edge portions of the head. The parts are so arranged that the head 13 with the member 16 thereon fits snugly in the socket 12 so that when the head is forced'into the socket into contact with the shoulder 15 the spring fingers 19 take a reliable frictional. grip on the walls of the socket. V

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 to v8, the brush holding member 20 is "formed with a plurality of sockets 21 which are subsubstantially circular incross section and into which the respective heads 22 carrying the bristles 23 may be inserted. In this arrangement each brush head is preferably dis posed in a cup shaped band member 24, the upper edge 25 thereof being turned inwardly. and over the face of the brush head to secure said member thereon. provided with a plurality of outwardly disposed proturberances 26. The parts are so arranged that the bottom. of the member 24 provided with the usual tufts 140f bristles or The member 2 1 is 'Will fit snugly into one of the sockets 21. By

pressing the brush head completely into the socket the protuberances 26 will engage and force outwardly the walls of the socket which are light in weight, attractive in appearance,

changes the shape of the socket and distorts the holding member 20; consequently, a reliable frictional grip isrmaintained between the walls of the socket and the edges of the brush head, and particularly between the walls of the socket and the protuberances 26.

Should the holding member tend to set to the shape forced by the insertion of a headinto a socket therein, a more secure 'grip on the brush head may readily be obtained by inserting the same brush, or a new brush, so that the protuberances engage new points on the walls of' the socket thereby 'necessitating a re-arrangement-ot the material forming the walls of the socket and considerably increasing the grip on the brush head. While I prefer to employ the construction as shown,- in which the protuberances are formed on a member surrounding the part 22, it will be understood thatpother constructions may Well be of my improved brushes are such that they may be inexpensively manufactured. The brush heads are of such; constructions that it is entirely practical to make the holders; therefor of a material such as celluloid, pyralin or the like. Such materials are highly desirable in the brush holding members because they are relatively inexpensive, possess sufficient strength and resiliency for the purpose and are easy to handle in carry-- ing out the manufacturing operations there- Furthermore the finished brush holders require no special treatment or care to maintain them in a sanitary condition and produce no unpleasant sensation should they strike the teeth while they are being brushed.

I do not intend to limit myinvention to the details of construction shown and described, except only in so far as certain of the appended claims are specifically so limited, V

members, and spring means carried by said band adapted by engagement With the other of said members to hold the band removably in tight frictional engagement therewith.

2. A toothbrush comprising, in combination, holding member having a socket, a

brush head, and a band member of resilient material surrounding the edge portions of the 7 head, said band member being slitted at certain places and formed so as to provide a plurality of outwardly'extending spring fingers adapted totake a frictional grip on the walls of said socket when the head is pressed thereinto.

3. A tooth brush comprising, in combination, a holding member have a socket, a brush head, band member of resilient material surrounding the edge portions of the head, and positively-acting meansto secure said band member tosaid brush back, said band member being slitted at certain places and formed so as to provide a plurality of outwardly and vertically extending spring fingers adapted to take a frictional grip on the walls of said socket when the brush head is pressed thereinto. i

4. A toothbrush comprising in combina tion, a holding member having a socket, a brush head, and a band member of resilient material. surrounding the edge portions of the head, said band member being turned inwardly at certain places over the bottom and face sides of the head to secure it thereto, said band member being slitted at certain places and formed so as to provide a plura1ity or outwardly and vertically extending spring fingers adapted to take a frictional grip on the walls of said socket when the headis pressed thereinto.

' CHARLES J. FUNK. 

